Vic ambulance waiting times worsen

Ambulance patients are waiting longer to get into Victorian hospitals despite a major election promise to fix ramping.

Ambulance patient handover times at hospitals are falling below the minimum benchmark of 90 per cent within 40 minutes and getting worse, The Age reports.

"Since coming to government, we've acted swiftly to fix our ambulance service, working with paramedics and health services to implement a number of on-the-ground changes to ensure Victorians get timely access to treatment," acting Health Minister Martin Foley said on Thursday.

Labor won power in November 2014 in part because of a concerted campaign using paramedics to highlight ambulance response times and ramping.

Premier Daniel Andrews asked the board of Ambulance Victoria to resign, and promised $100 million to improve response times and free up ambulances.

But so far the efforts haven't worked.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital, St Vincent's Hospital, and the Northern, Sunshine and the Austin hospitals reportedly had 20-25 per cent of patients waiting longer than 40 minutes.

Mr Foley blamed the previous coalition government for poor response times and ramping at hospitals.

"We are working hard to fix our ambulance service, but it will take time," he said.

Mr Foley said communication between Ambulance Victoria and emergency departments had been increased, and ambulance arrival boards had been installed at hospitals to track waiting vehicles.

The opposition said of the $100 million Mr Andrews had promised, only $40 million has been spent.